For the first time, the Central government has asked a non-government organisation to look into teacher education and training in the state. The move comes close on the heels of the state’s poor show in the recently conducted Teacher Eligibility Test. Only 5 per cent candidates from the state qualified in the TET.

“This is the first time the Centre has asked such a committee to come to the state. The committee will be from the Azim Premji Foundation. They will be here from March 17 to 23 and visit all places remotely related to teacher education. These include State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Block Resource Centre, Cluster Resource Centre, District Institute Of Education And Training, DEd, BEd and MEd colleges, primary and secondary schools,” said N K Jarag, Director, SCERT.

The committee comprises members belonging to an NGO “so that there is no government interference and the report shows the true state of education in the state”, said Jarag. “The committee will look at coordination between various departments, issues of education in the state, teacher-pupil ratio, the impact of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the level of understanding of concepts in students who are being trained to be teachers. It will be a comprehensive report on the state of teacher education in the state, which will then be submitted to the Central government,” he added.

Jarag also blamed the numerous teacher training institutes in the state for the abysmal performance of BEd and DEd candidates in the TET conducted in December.

“Only 5 per cent of the candidates have managed to secure the qualifying marks of 60 per cent in the TET.

This shows the horrible state of teacher education in the state. This has become a business and anybody and everybody is opening private institutes without looking at the quality. Best students are taking up other professions, leaving only average and below average students for teaching. All this is affecting teacher education in the state,” added Jarag.